Harlow Bidwell ‘28, Opinion Editor
When one thinks of the word “rebrand”, they would typically think of a brand changing their packaging or formula, but in some cases a rebrand can also be the idea of someone changing their style, sound, personality, or public appearance. Recently, several artists have been taking drastic rebrands which can sometimes be career threatening, but in other cases, life changingly beneficial. Artists like Tate McRae, Zara Larsson, and Post Malone have tried a brand new look, and they were praised for it.
When McRae had first began her music career in 2017, she had a somewhat sultry sound and tomboyish look. This look, while being iconic, was not recognisable enough to fit the current standard of today’s pop culture where artists have to have a particular look that portrays them alone. McRae took the initiative of a rebrand with her album, Think Later. From the experimental look of her first album, I Used to Think I Could Fly, with a basic sound and look, to the more confident and aggressive sound and look of Think Now, pushed the album to have more hits like “greedy”, “exes”, and “run for the hills”. McRae stated that the rebrand had changed the trajectory and audience of her music to being broader and larger. Fans loved the change, along with the style being accompanied by her past of dance being brought back into her music. McRae said, “ I have an alter ego, her name is Tatiana.” She continues to say that Tatiana and McRae are very different people, where Tatiana can be free and confident, while McRae was at first scared of the change.
Following McRae’s switch up, a fellow artist who essentially changed her career, is Zara Larsson. Larsson states in her Prime Video documentary, Zara Larsson–Up Close, that her previous album, Poster Girl, did not perform well on the charts, and needed to find a way to get out of the hole she was in. In August 2024, a viral internet meme sprouted in the media that would eventually lead to a peak in Larsson’s career. A meme of dolphins jumping in the ocean with rainbows behind them, and various other summer themes and colors had been posted with Larsson’s song “Symphony” playing in the background caught traction and went viral. Larsson took this opportunity to change her brand into a summery feel, with her already popular song “Lush Life” painting her as a summer artist, just making it fitting for her career. Just by Larsson wearing brighter clothes, glitter, dedication for the change, and effort redirected the views of the public onto her, along with her first ever GRAMMY nomination, alongside McRae.
Genre changes are never as popular, but a goal for most artists to expand their horizons. With that being said, they are typically known for their ways of killing an artist’s career, but in the case of Malone, his genre change saved his career. After going through years of hits, he hit a point where he was at a stop for making music that was as popular for fans. Malone went the complete opposite direction of his origin, from rap to country on his new album, F1-Trillion. The traction from old fans and brand new ones from collaborations on the new album had created a new look for Malone, and made him more relevant.
Over all, the patterns of rebranding in the present years have created new relevance for artists who have essentially “fell off” in the eyes of the media. It also continues to show the need for more creative and fresh ideas that the public pushes to see.
Lyon Life 